Anger at plans to close Wolverhampton playgrounds
Residents say they fear the planned closure of two play areas in Wolverhampton will leave youngsters 'roaming the streets with nothing to do'.
Bosses at the cash-strapped authority say the closures - which will lead to 11 council workers losing their jobs - will save £456,000 in running costs.
A six week period of consultation has begun into the proposal.
But parents have spoken of their anger at the proposals, with some accusing the authority of taking a vital service away from the city's children.
With fears of growing levels of obesity, should playgrounds be shutting? Leave your comments below.
Maria Billington runs Gatis Gardeners, a volunteer group based at the Gatis Street Adventure Playground which encourages youngsters to grow their own vegetables.
She said the closure of the centre would be a 'massive blow to the community'.
See also: 44 Staffordshire children's centres to be axed.
"It is extremely disappointing," said the 44-year-old mother-of-three from Hordern Road, Whitmore Reans.
"Where do the council expect children to go if this place closes? There is nowhere else around here remotely like it.
"Here the staff really look after them. They can learn about healthy eating and use all the facilities in a safe and friendly environment.
"It brings the community together, but the council seem happy to let the building sit and rot."
The site runs free play activities for five to 12 year olds including den building, bug hunting, campfires and outdoor cooking, sports, arts and crafts, low ropes and face painting. It also features play structures and tree houses and a water park area with a sand pit.
With councils being forced to make cuts, where should the money be saved? Leave your comments below.
Patricia Birch, aged 52, lives near the Chesterton Road Adventure Playground and regularly goes there with her four grandchildren.
She said: "I think it is disgusting the council want to close it. They just don't care about the children. If this shuts the nearest place will be Northycote Farm which is miles away.
"What we will have left is kids roaming the streets with nothing to do, and that's when you start getting trouble. I was shocked when I found out because so many people use the playground."
A petition launched in a bid to save the Chesterton Road centre has already garnered more than 100 signatures.
Last week senior council officer Andrew Wolverson said closing the facilities would help the council meet its target of slashing £1 million from its social exclusion budget.
At a meeting of the authority's Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel councillors recommended the two sites be declared surplus and promoted for a Community Asset Transfer - meaning they will be redeveloped for alternative use.
Labour children's services boss Councillor Val Gibson has asked for groups to come forward with plans to take on the threatened playgrounds.
But opposition leader Wendy Thompson accused the council of not doing enough to keep the play areas open.
She said: "These are vital services in areas that are not prosperous. It is important for children to have somewhere to play and it is extremely concerning that these areas are being taken away. Wolverhampton has some of the highest rates of obesity in the country, which will not improve if leisure facilities are closed down."
A similar adventure playground in Old Fallings Crescent is set to remain open, with the council planning to run it using grants totalling £149,000 from Aiming Higher for Disabled Children and Public Health.
All three sites receive almost 10,000 visits each year.
A six week consultation has been launched while the council looks for voluntary organisations to run the playgrounds, although the council has warned the plans will only change if a 'significantly different' proposal is put forward.
Until 2012 there were six adventure playgrounds in Wolverhampton but three were shut down as part of a previous round of cuts.
See also: 50% increase in complaints about Walsall children's social care services.
